Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-02-24

briefly. to Mr.. Jones, who complied so
promptly as greatly TO astonish Tad.
and then, obedient to gesture from
him of the cane, the fraudulent Jones
vanished with considerable celebrity
round the nearest corner, while the
small man walked quietly away.
"That's City-Deteotfve Rlossom-he's
been in our place lots Of times. Tad
heard a telegraph mossenger-boy in
form another, in awe-struck tones.
and, after admiringly watching the
small man out of sight, the two scam
pered off together.
"Strikes me that my friend Jones
won't get hold of this same little bag
as easy as he thought for" chuckled
Tad, unconscious that the gentleman
in question, with his hat pulled down
over his forehead like the villain in a
play, was watching his movements
from neighboring doorway.
But whittier should Tad turn his foot
steps? Uptown or downtown, or
stop a minute' The sachel must con-
tain something of more than ordinary
value-a fact which the fraudulent
Jones had in some way discovered, else
why was he SO anxious to get posses
sion of it?
Chaps like him don't take the
chances on an empty bag soliloquized
Tad, with wise shake of the head,
land, accordin' to my way of thinking,
somebody'l be Offering a reward for
this bit of property before long
Which reasoning resulted in Tad's
investing half his stock of ready cash
in the purchase of three daily papers,
in whose columns he hoped to find pos
sible mention made of the lost sachel.
The purchase itself decided the direc-
ton of his steps. He knew that along
most city wharves were sheltered and
sunny spots, where he could sit down
and glance over his papers undis-
turbed by of1icious policemen.
Having been duly directed by a
sharp-voiced newsboy, Tad began max
ing his way wharfward, through mar
row and not particularly inviting
street, known as Lewis Lane. The
theory of cause and effect was visible
oI tNCI lltllO, III lilc SiIdpC VI lotii
ing liquor-shops and miserable tene-
ments. Shabbily-dressed men lounged
on every corner, filing the air with
oaths and tobacco-smoke, while shrill-
voiced women gossiped in the door
ways and swarms of dirty children pad
died in the cutters.
Come. now-you give us that purp"
said Il threatening voice, and Tad
looked suddenly round. Avery ragged
boy, whose hair was cut close to his
bullet head. stood confronting neatly
dressed girl, rather younger than him.
self, who, from her appearance, was
evidently a stranger i'll the neighbour
hood.
''Av We don't hand i'm over, We'll
take i'm away from yez in less'n two
shakes" chimed in Hibernian voice,
whose owner was Il red-ha!red youth of
fourteen summers or Whereabouts. in
his dirty fingers was Il string from
which dangled an empty UPSTREAM,
destined. as Tad at once saw, as an
attachment to the tail of a small and
decidedly dirty dog which the girl was
hugging tightly against her white
apron, very much to its detriment.
The young and unprotected female
compressed her lips, and, looking quite
defiantly at her opponents, deigned no
reply to their amiable limitations. But
Tad thought that she also glanced at
him rather anxiously. as though fearing
he might array himself on the side of
the foe.
Sure, 1 w'udn't be afeared of
gurrl. Bob" scornfully insinuated the
red-headed, in an undertone, and, thus
stimulated, Bob took Il step forward,
but Tad was too quick for him.